Travels in Eeyou Istchee

The mouth of the Rupert river with the sun setting over James Bay. The image was captured from the community of Waskaganish. 

Ian Diamond and I had been traveling for many hours. He is a professional photographer living in the community of Waskaganish. We were on photo expeditions for clients in Ottawa.

The location was set in the James Bay region. A place in the far reaches of northern Quebec known as Eeyou Istchee. 

The mandates were to shoot for the Grand Council of the Crees. We were to record the latest development in the Communities within Eeyou Istchee and generate a bank of images for their Annual Reports. The trip would take us to a number of Cree communities where welcoming people greeted us willing to open their doors while allowing us to interrupt their usual routine with the cameras glued to our faces.

We drove for hours on these trips along Route du Nord a lengthy snow-covered dirt road that extends from the James Bay Coastal region of the Cree Nation deep into the interior where the communities of Ouje Bougomou, Waswanipi and Mistissini are located. 

Time in the north is always rewarding, from past experiences I have a constant pull or yearning to go back. Taking the photo gear and recording events along the way makes these trips special occasions that forge memories.  

Experience while in Eeyou Istchee always includes the customary huge generosity and style of the people we meet while on the road. The photographs provide a permanent record of the travels and refreshing memories bringing back the good times between long haul road travel through the vast Cree Nation and engaging times in the communities with those we meet for our short stays along the way. On one excursion we drove through Mistissini.

After many hours on the Route Du Nord southbound, we arrived in Mistissini. Little did I know that the trip was timed precisely for a “Journey of Hope” which took place. Young people celebrating in regalia, snowshoes, toboggans and traditional gear set out for long walks bringing attention to local concerns in their community. 

We captured many images from the event. The walker entourage organized inside canvas roofed structures that were kept warm by wood stoves. A spot on the outskirts of the community alongside the ice-covered water-font of Lac Mistassini. The lake is a vast freshwater labyrinth of channels, islands, and open expanses. A magnificent body of water that holds the size record for the largest freshwater lake in the province of Quebec. We were offered traditional bush food while awaiting the walkers' departure. A display of a Moose head being butchered took place being prepared for a feast. I was presented with an eyeball. 

The walkers suited up-in the lodging space, about to embark outside into the biting cold through a veil of snowfall for arrival on foot across the ice advancing toward the town onward into the community centre. 
We captured this event using the Nikon’s and touring with the vehicle to get decent vantage points.

On another expedition after a long day on the road, we made it to Ouje Bougoumou. The notable architecture throughout the community is designed by world-famous Architect Douglas Cardinal. We arrived just before the sun was setting. The stay here was booked at the very modern Capissisit Lodge the rooms here use a Nordic style interior. From the welcoming front desk, you enter into a towering wooden post and beam atrium. 
The natural light pouring down across three floors from above.

The Capissisit Lodge design opens up the outdoor panoramas inside with massive picture windows bringing the space alive with grandeur and light from the big sky outdoors and spectacular landscape. Time spent at this modern inviting retreat made that journey a great escape into the north.

Ian and I made it to Lake Opemisca minutes away from the lodge with some time before nightfall.  When we arrived the setting was wide open to a beach and distant views of tree lines on the horizons, typical of boreal forest that is familiar in most of the Cree Nation. A vantage place with an endless horizon out across the vast waterway and forest landscape expanses. 

Coming from urban living in the south on a clear sky evening in the northern regions magic happens. Within Eeyou Istchee looking into the evening sky. The sun explodes across the big sky with outstanding displays of colours, patterns, and silhouettes these sun settings are truly a sight to behold they form a backdrop to life in the territory which is breathtaking.

A family there on the lake front that evening was having a get together on the beach which they had situated all to themselves. 

Once the sun got lower in the sky it created a magnificent odyssey of light. Two young children were playing on a single dock in the foreground performing a dance which they staged under the sky. They offered a dynamic presence that put movement and life into the composition this moment of drama a fortunate event that cemented the human expression. In my view that was a gift that made the spectacular landscape come alive framing the image along our journey to Ouje Bogoumou.

A picture tells 787 words.

Canada and the James Bay Northern Quebec Treaty 1975

During the last five years gordongroup has been immersed in a project of a lifetime capturing in digital media the story about the First Modern Day Treaty in Canada. Canada is rich in diversity brought about by immigration over the last 500 years. Moreover, those who live here on the continent whose ancestral backgrounds and culture exceed the time of first arrival by European newcomers form a societal profile across Canada foundational to our country's provenance and identity.

These documentaries we hope will make a contribution and remain a record for those who aspire to learn more from the First Nations' perspective.

 In 1975, The James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement known today as the First Modern Day Treaty in Canada was signed in the Province of Quebec. The Crees of Eeyou Istchee came forward and won, within the Canadian judicial system a court ruling in their favour to halt resource development. Vast areas of territory would be flooded since the provincial government wanted to harness rivers with hydro dams.

Rupert River "the Fours rapids" 2015

 The project would forever alter the freshwater river arteries flowing throughout the Crees of Eeyou Istchee ancestral lands. These waterways, rich in  life, flow westbound, their inland headwaters deep within the expansive boreal forest.The rivers form the largest fresh watershed in the world cascading toward the Quebec coastline out into the vast open seawaters of James Bay.

 The first film in the series documents the story of what took place and captures the narratives of the signatories to the treaty.

 In Canada Treaties have been signed over the last centuries. Old treaties were used during the pioneering era of settler societies through to the early days of the 20th. century. Negotiating old treaties was discontinued as a result of Canadian governments moving away from the notion of peace and friendship with aboriginal groups to a policy unfortunately of assimilation and extinguishment. The outcomes from colonial authorities that provided ill -conceived leadership to the dominant societies of the day drove the ideologies of assimilation over decades. This is of course a Canadian historical reality. Clearly, this strategy was not progressive nor has this long historical journey contributed meaningfully toward building a better more harmonized inclusive accord among Canadian society. The results of old treaties are evident on reserves across Canada today. Treaty making since 1975 has been more progressive while old treaties remain in dire need of renovating. 

 During the 1970’s era a new approach toward  making treaties was ushered in.

The James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement, was created, the James Bay Crees successfully fought for and enshrined this new treaty in collaboration with the provincial and federal legislators at that time. This was a structural change of large proportions in the middle ground between Crown Indigenous relations.

The film series chronicles for the viewer the lead up to the signing of the Canadian first modern day treaty of 1975. We cover that with the narratives provided by those who were actually there at the time including Billy Diamond, Philip Awashish, Able Kitchen, Fred Blackned, Robert Kanatewat and Smally Petawabano. Four other signatories had passed away. These participants were among well over 100 others who had a part and contributed to preserving history for present and future generations within the film series.

 The film series is not only a reality check on the challenges faced by those who have been witness to the intrusion of dominant societies quest to gain access to resources upon First Nation ancestral lands but a series of testimonies about how these challenges have been overcome without violence rather incredible perseverance and dignity.

 We capture the last forty years with four films.  This period depicts the fight that took place throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s, to have the Treaty agreements implemented. The most recent film gives voice to the events that unfolded over the first decade of the 21st century. 

 The Nisga’a Nation in the Nass Valley, Northern British Columbia fought for over a century leading up to 1970 to gain treaty rights within their territories in Canada. A declaration was granted by the Supreme Court in the  1970’s in favour of the the Nisga’a Nation. This ruling would eventually lead to a Modern treaty. The Nisga’a Nation entered into their treaty 24 years later with the Province and Federal government in 2000.

Canadiana, making history accessible on your desktop

Whether it’s Canada’s rich Aboriginal history; the history of Canada’s fashion, cultural or social trends; military and war; or even your own heritage and genealogy—it’s all fully available online for the first time, preserved and digitized.

Search by date, language, name, subjects and texts to learn about the people, the ideas and the vision that shaped Canada as we know it today.  Every decision. Every milestone. Every victory.

Implementation follows Strategy

No two clients are alike yet all clients expect their customer journey to bring value to their organization. Upon start up of new mandates there exists a form of initiation, an introduction of sorts to those who are championing the project from the client organization. That may be the CEO or a brand manager or someone else, whose job it is to implement solutions that deliver meaningful results. Moreover, those who have come together at the initiation stage of the client journey recognize an opportunity has opened up to deliver to their market or stakeholders or internal audiences campaigns that will deliver winning outcomes.  

     Strategy in management is akin to providing a clear map for successful client relations. Project management, creative direction among other skills that may include a roster of specialized capabilities set the flow in action. How the teams align is a huge factor toward the delivery of successful outcomes. This link in the client journey requires careful control to ensure the time together builds confidence among all participants. Management sets the stage for campaigns and successful returns for clients. The notion of having an optimized team at the heart of the organization's efforts to deliver winning brand solutions is an obvious strategy.

   

     Strategy also goes to the heart of all the thinking and ideation around the campaign itself, investment in winning campaigns require careful evaluation of the organization's offering. This phase of the client journey relies entirely on what was described above combined with razor sharp analysis of the organization's unique market position. The discovery phase is a baseline priority for effective brand identity development, an essential strategic analysis that is conducted between client and agency. We’ve found that incidentally, clients see an upside to strategic planning as part of the project mandate. This has included a top view of the management practices from an outside perspective. We’ve uncovered essential narratives and points of view on behalf of clients that typically have been foreign or outside the current parlance of the organization's narratives. Good ideas distinctly emblematic of the client benefits offered. We’ve also been in the privileged position to build connections among our clients stakeholders who willingly extend their influence to build upon, expand and validate through their insight and support for the campaign. Offering strategic counsel augmenting the client views while keeping the experience for the client on the proper path.

Strategy is where the client journey begins. Use the expertise and strength among the team to build momentum for the implementation of winning campaigns.  

A year in images 2014